1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an electric locker apparatus including an electric lock device operative to normally control opening and/or closure of the door of a locker box; more particularly, it pertains to such an electric locker apparatus which is further provided with an emergency unlocking device for forcibly opening the door in case of an emergent situation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various kinds of locker apparatus with a plurality of locker boxes are usually installed in public spaces, e.g. railway station, airport and entrance hall of condominium, etc, often in the form of coin lockers. Because the locker boxes are then accessible and can be used by a number of indefinite people, it is sometimes necessary for an administrator to open the door of a particular locker box by using a master key or master card and to take out the article in that box for various reasons. This is particularly the case when the article has been left beyond a prescribed period, without being timely cleared away by the user, or when the article is one whose storage in the locker box is prohibited.
In the case of an electric locker apparatus incorporating a microprocessor wherein opening of the door of a locker box is controlled by an electric lock device, it is a common practice for an administrator to unlock the lock device and open a particular locker box, by opening the door of a control box in which relevant controller and keyboard are installed, and subsequently inputting necessary data in accordance with instruction as prescribed in a manual. Thus, when it is necessary to immediately open the locker box in emergent occasions such as electric power stoppage or troubles in the lock device itself, the absence of an administrator who is skilled in the relatively complicated operation may be detrimental in that an emergent unlocking cannot be achieved within a minimized time. Moreover, depending upon software or hardware of the system, an emergent unlocking may result in opening of all the locker boxes even when it is necessary to open a particular locker box only, whereby privacy of users of other locker boxes may not be adequately protected.